Construction General Permits

Who Must Apply for General Permit Coverage:

Operators of construction activities resulting in land disturbance equal to or greater than one acre.

Operators of construction activities resulting in land disturbance less than one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale that ultimately disturbs one or more acres. A larger common plan of development or sale is a contiguous area where separate and distinct construction activities may be taking place at different times on different schedules. General permit coverage is required if one or more acres of land will be disturbed, regardless of the size of the individually owned or developed sites. For example, if a developer buys a 20-acre lot and builds roads with the intention of building homes or other structures in the future, or if the land is parceled off or sold, and construction occurs on plots that are less than an acre by separate, independent builders, these activities would still be subject to stormwater permitting requirements. A larger common plan of development or sale applies to various types of land development including but not limited to residential, commercial or industrial use.

Single-Family Detached Residential Structures:

Single-family detached residential structures that disturb less than one acre of land and that are not part of a larger common plan of development or sale (e.g., subdivision), including additions or modifications to existing single-family detached residential structures, do not require coverage under the general permit.

Single-family detached residential structures that disturb less than one acre of land but are part of a larger common plan of development or sale (e.g., subdivision) require coverage under the general permit, and all single-family detached residential structures that disturb equal to or greater than one acre of land require coverage under the general permit. However, operators of these land-disturbing activities are authorized to discharge under the general permit and are not required to submit a registration statement.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP)
All activities listed above require the construction activity operator to develop and implement a site-specific SWPPP. The SWPPP must be prepared prior to any construction activity and, if applicable, prior to submitting a registration statement for permit coverage. The SWPPP is to be retained at the construction site along with a copy of the general permit and general permit coverage letter. The Town of Ashland requires that the following template and plan sheets be used to develop a SWPPP: